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Labor Precarity and Unionism in Chile New Directions and Strategies Of Labor Precarity and Unionism in Chile New Directions and Strategies of Workers in a Context of Labor Precarity (1975-2010) Dissertation Zur Erlangung des akademischen Grades doctor philosophiae (Dr. Phil.). vorgelegt dem Rat der Fakultät für Sozial-und Verhaltenswissenschaften der Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena von Dasten Alfonso Julián Vejar geboren am 14.04.1983 in Osorno, Chile i Gutachter 1. Prof. Dr. Klaus Dörre, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena 2. Prof. Dr. Christopher Köhler, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena Datum der mündlichen Prüfung: ii iii Table of Contents List of Tables…………………….……………………………………………………… xii Acknowledgements……………………..………………………………………….…... xiii Summary……………………………..………………………………………………..... xiv Zusammenfassung………………………………………………………………………. xvi PART I. INTRODUCTION TO RESEARCH………………….……………………... 1 Chapter One: Introduction ………………………………….……………………...…….. 2 1.1.- Research Topic and Questions………………….………………………………….. 2 1.2.- Case Selection……………………….…………………………………………..…... 6 1.2.1.- Labor Precarity in Latin America……………………………………... 6 1.2.2.- Chile: a Paradigmatic case for the Institutionalization of Labor Precarity.… 7 1.2.3.- Unions as an Object of Labor Precarity…..………………………….……... 8 1.2.4.- Summary of Research Proposal..……………………...……………... …... 10 1.3.- Research Thesis……………………..…………..………………………………..…. 10 1.4.- Structure of the Presentation………..………………….……………………………. 10 PART II. THEORETICAL APPROACH TO PRECARITY…………………………………………………………………………..... 15 Chapter Two: Labor Precarity. Perspectives in the North and in the Global South Chapter Overview.…………………………………….……………... …….………...… 16 Introduction……………………………………….……………….……………………... 18 2. Approaches to Labor Precarity…………………………………………………..…….. 19 2.1.- Sociology of Work in the North and Precarity…………………………………….. 22 2.1.1.- Pierre Bourdieu: Domination and “Precarity”………………………… …. 22 2.1.2.- Robert Castel: Labor Precarity and Social Exclusion………….………...... 25 2.1.3.- Klaus Dörre: Labor Precarity as Critique of Capitalism…………..……… 28 2.1.4.- Richard Sennett: Labor Precarity and Character Corrosion………………. 32 2.1.5.- Guy Standing: Precarity and the Dangerous Class……….……………...... 35 2.2.- Approaches to Precarity in the South…….…………..…...………………………… 38 iv 2.2.1.- José Nun and Anibal Quijano: Thesis on Marginality……………….....…. 40 2.2.2.- Alejandro Portes: Thesis on Informality………………………….……….. 43 2.2.3.- Thesis on Social Exclusion………………………………….…………...... 45 2.3.- New Studies of labor precarity in the Global South……………………………........ 49 2.3.1.- Edward Webster & Karl Von Holdt: South Africa and Apartheid……..….. 50 2.3.2.- Ronaldo Munck: Precarity of the Global South……………..……….….... 56 2.3.3.- Ricardo Antúnez. Brazil and Social Precarization……………………........ 60 2.4.- Synthesis. A Multi-Dimensional Framework for Labor Precarity…………………... 64 Chapter Three. Precarity in Latin America Chapter Overview ……………………………………………..…………………….…… 67 3.1.- Labor Precarity as Social Precarity………………….………….….…………...…… 71 3.2.- Significant Levels of Labor Precarity……………………………….………………. 75 3.3.- Precarity of Work and (Trans) Modernity…………….…………………………….. 77 3.4.- Precarity in Latin America: “A Model in the Making”……………….…… ……….. 82 PART III. CHILE AND THE TRANSFORMATION OF WORK. A QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS OF LABOR PRECARITY IN CHILE (1975-2010) …………………………………………………………………. 87 Introduction……………………………………………..……………………….……….. 88 Chapter Four. Chile: Neoliberalism and the Social Precarization Process Chapter Overview………………………………...…………………..…………………… 91 4.1.- The New Accumulation Model….……..……………………………………………. 92 4.2.- Chile: A Paradigm of Labor Precarity………………….……………………………. 95 4.2.1.- Neoliberalism and State Reforms………………………………...….……………. 99 4.2.2.- The New Architecture of Work………………………………………….……….. 100 Chapter Five. Statistical History of the Dimensions of Labor Precarity Chapter Overview…………............................................................................................. 106 5.1.- Labor Precarity and Temporary Jobs…………………………………………….... 107 5.2.- De-Protection and Individualization of the Labor Relationship……………….…... 110 v 5.3.- Unemployment, Precarity and Exclusion from the Labor Market…………............. 113 5.4.- Precarious Remuneration…………………………………………………………... 117 5.5.- Working Conditions…………………………………………………..…..…..……. 122 5.6.- Revision. A Context of Precarity………………………………………….…....….. 124 Chapter Six. Trade Unions in Chile: Between Discipline and Fragility Chapter Overview……………………………………………………………………………..….. 127 6.1.- Institutional Discipline………………………………………..…………….…….... 128 6.1.1.- Asymmetric Industrial Relations………………………………………..... 131 6.1.2.- Cancellation of Collective Action: Membership and Negotiation……….. 135 6.2.- A Heterogeneous, Precarious and Fragmented Unionism. Five Tendencies….……. 139 6.2.1.- Tendency I. Low Rates of Union Affiliation………………………….….. 140 6.2.2.- Tendency II. The Decline of Collective Bargaining……………………… 144 6.2.3.- Tendency III. Fragmented and Atomized. Territorial Realities...……........ 146 6.2.4.- Tendency IV. “Labor Unrest” and Consensus………………………….… 148 6.2.5.- Tendency V. Flexibility and Precarity……………………………….….... 152 6.3.- A Problematic Present for Unionism………………………………………………. 154 PART IV. UNIONISM IN CHILE (1975-2010)………………...……………..……… 155 Chapter Seven: Chronology of Trade Unions in Chile Chapter Overview………………………………………………………………………. 156 7.1.- Unionism in the Period of the Popular Unity (UP) Government…….……….….... 158 7.2.- Unionism during the Military Dictatorship. 1973-1990…………………...…..…... 165 7.2.1.- Unionism under the New Regime (1973-1978)………………….…...….. 167 7.2.2.- Union Institutionalization and Reactivation (1979-1981) ...…………….. 173 7.2.3.- Resistance and Organic Reinforcement (1981-1990) …………....……… 179 7.3.- Chile in the 1990s: “Democratic Transition” and a New Union Model…….....…... 190 7.4.- Chile in the Twenty-First Century (2000-2010)………..…………………. ……… 203 7.4.1.- The “Socialist Government”: A New Workplace Issue?............................. 203 7.4.2.- Fractures and Tensions. Decomposition of the Unitary Project.……....… 209 7.4.3.- New Outbreaks of Labor Disputes. …………………………………...…. 213 vi 7.5.- The Legacy of the Socialist Government……………………………….…….….... 219 PART V. METHODOLOGY AND ANALYSIS OF INTERVIEWS…………….….. 225 Introduction…………………………………………………………………………...… 226 Chapter Eight. Research Design and Method Chapter Overview…………………………………………………………………….…. 228 8.1. Problem of the Investigation………………………………………………………... 229 8.2. Questions of the Investigation……………….……………………………………... 232 8.2.1. The Relevance of Precarity for Unionism (Q1)……..…………................. 232 8.2.2. Strategies and Repertoires to Challenge Labor Precarity (Q2)..……..….... 233 8.2.3. Problematic Cores for Unionism (Q3).….………………………………... 234 8.3. Instruments to Gather Information………………..………………………………… 235 8.4. The Selection of Interviewees.……..…………………………………………..…… 237 8.5. Analysis of the Interviews…………..………………………………………………. 241 8.5.1. Main Categories ...……..…….……………………………………...…..... 243 8.5.2. Analysis of Sub-Categories……...……………………………….……….. 250 8.5.3. Analysis of the Interviews……….………………………………………... 253 8.5.4. Transcription of the Interviews……….…………………………………... 253 8.5.5. Analysis Software………………….……………………………………... 254 8.6. Analyzing Voices and Problems……………………………………………………. 254 Chapter Nine. Analysis and Results Chapter Overview……………………………………………………………………….. 256 9.1.- Dimensions of Labor Precarity……...………………………………………..……. 256 9.2.- Work Instability…………………………………………………………………..... 257 9.2.1.- Instability and Productive Heterogeneity………………………………... 258 9.2.2.- Instability and Atomization…………………………………..………….. 264 9.2.3.- Instability and the Vertical Organizational Logic of the Union….....,…... 268 9.2.4.- Disciplinary Instability and Institutionalization…………………….….... 271 9.2.5.- Instability and Defensive/Reactive Logics………………………………. 275 9.3.- Insecurity……….……………………………………………………………….…. 278 vii 9.3.1.- Insecurity and Atomization……………………………………..…….….. 279 9.3.2.- Insecurity and the Vertical Organizational Logic………...…………..…... 281 9.3.3.- Insecurity and Disciplinary Institutionality…………………………….… 284 9.3.4.- Insecurity and Predominance of a Defensive/Reactive Logic………........ 293 9.4.- Insufficiency…………………………………………………………………….…. 298 9.4.1.- Insufficiency and Segmentation……………………………..…………… 299 9.4.2.- Insufficiency and Atomization………………………………………….... 301 9.4.3.- Insufficiency and the Vertical Organizational Logic……..…………..….. 306 9.4.4.- Insufficiency and Disciplinary Institutionalization…………………..…... 310 9.5.-Working Conditions……………………………………………...……………..…... 319 9.5.1.- Working Conditions and Productive Heterogeneity………………….…... 320 9.5.2.- Working Conditions and Segmentation……………..………………….… 325 9.5.3.- Working Conditions and the Vertical Organizational Logic………….….. 331 9.5.4.- Working Conditions and The Defensive/Reactive Logic………….….….. 337 9.6. Summary of empirical findings………………………….………………….………. 343 9.6.1.- Changes at Work and Changes in Unions………………………………... 343 9.6.2.- Continuity and Disruption in Unionism………………………………….. 344 9.6.3.- Precarity and the Reinvestment of Self-Conceptions……………………. 346 9.6.4.- Labor Precarity, Heterogeneity and Union Activities…………………… 348 9.6.5.- The Crossroads of the Chilean Unions…………………………...……… 349 Chapter Ten. Conclusions Cores and problems of Chilean unionism facing Labor Precarity…….…...……………. 352 Core I: Unionism and the Legacy of the Military Dictatorship….……………………… 353 Core II: The Relationship between the Political Parties and Unions…...…………….….
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